Why the ThinPrep Pap Test?

Getting a ThinPrep Pap Test

You'd get a ThinPrep Pap Test for the same reasons why you'd get any pap test — to find abnormal cervical cells before they become cancerous. And by asking for an Imaged ThinPrep Pap Test, you’re asking for better disease detection, along with the benefits of convenience and reliability.

How the ThinPrep Pap Test works

The ThinPrep Pap Test was the first liquid-based pap test; it is different from the traditional "pap smear". With the conventional pap smear, a doctor would take the cell sample and smear it onto a glass slide. This didn’t preserve the sample very well.

Instead of smearing the cells, the ThinPrep Pap Test sample is sent to the laboratory in a liquid solution that preserves them. An important benefit of the ThinPrep Pap Test is the ability to do additional testing, like the HPV test, from the same pap test sample. This means that you only need one sample for multiple tests. The ThinPrep Pap Test has FDA approval/clearance allowing for these other tests to be done from one sample.

The benefits of Dual Review

Imaged ThinPrep Pap Tests are screened twice — first by the ThinPrep Imaging System, and then by a laboratory professional trained in looking for abnormal cervical cells. In a large study, the ThinPrep Imaging System showed significant improvement over manually reviewed ThinPrep Pap Test slides.1

Out of the vial testing

With the ThinPrep Pap Test, your doctor can use the same pap test for additional testing if necessary. This means no extra visits to the doctor’s office for additional tests.